Station-signaling apparatus.



, A HOECKEVR.

STATION SIGNALING APPARATUS. ArPLlcATloN FILED Muis, 1,915.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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A. HOECKER.

-STAT'ION SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.9. 1915.

1,173,513.l @muted Feb.29,1916.

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UNTTED sTATEs PATENT orrrcn.

AUGUST HOECKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STATION-SIGNALING- APPARATUS.

Application filed January 9, 1915.

To @ZZ lwle/0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsT Honorine, a

subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Station- Signaling Apparatus, of-which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to improvements in station signaling apparatus and its principal object is to provide a device of this kind which indicates in a clearly visible manner each station on the route of a train consecutively in either rotation and the operation of which is simple and easy.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the designation of the respective stations is combined with an advertisement of any firm or individual doing business in the neighborhood of that respective station or otherwise interested in having its or his name connected with the same.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of'the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the entire apparatus; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detailed view in plan of a part of the apparatus; Fig. 4, a vertical section of the same, on .the line 4-4, Fig.

3; Fig. 5, an end view in plan of the apparatus, with part of the casing broken away to aord an insight into the mechanism; Fig. 6, a vertical section of the same, on the line 6--6, Fig. 5, partially broken away.

Referring to the drawings, 7 is a casing having doors 8 and 9 one at either end turning on hinges such as 10 provided with eyelets 11 for locking. The middle portion of the casing has both on the front and rear frame parts such as 12 holding glass plates 13 and on the top frame parts on either side vstationary inscriptions such as Next station is. Near the frame parts there are partitions 14-14 dividing the right and left end of the casing from the central portion thereof. On the top or lid 15 of the casing Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 1,339.

Pivotally mounted on brackets 23-23 on top of the casing at a suitable distance from the rear part thereof are lever arms 24-24 having upwardly bent ends on which the rollers 19 are resting and supported by springs 26-26 fastened to the top of casing diagonally in respect thereto and normally holding the lever arms 24-24,*and thereby the lever arms 17, in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Hingedly attached to the lever 2.4-24 are vertical connecting rods 27-27 passing through slots in the lid of the casing into the interior thereof, where other rods 28 arelinked vto their respective lower ends. connected to lever arms 29 pivotally attached to brackets 30 and having at their other ends upwardly projecting members 31 slotted at their upper ends and supporting, pivoted thereto, T-shaped cross heads 32,'the stem of the T being intermediate of the two sides of the slot and projecting frontward therefrom. The lower surface of this projection, marked 33, is concave and receives therein the end of a spring 34, the other end of which is fastened to the member 31.

Journaled into the partitions 14 at either end of the casing are sets of three toothed wheels each, a larger central one 35 and two smaller ones, 36 at the top and 37 at the bottom, both being in engagement with the wheel 35 and rigidly mounted on shafts running across the casing from one partition to the other.

Four pins such as 38 are placed at equal distances from each other around the periphery of the toothed wheels 35, in plan with the cross heads 32 and susceptible of being engaged thereby. The rods 28 have projections 39 adapted to press against the pins 38 when the rody 28 is in its highest position. The shafts 40 and 41, carrying the toothed wheels 36 and 37, respectively at either ends thereof, are provided with four springs such as 43 each fastened to the shafts at their longitudinal centers; and, placed around them at equal distances fromeach The lower ends of the rods 28 are f.

other, rings such as 44 are mounted on the shafts at a small distance from their longitudinal centers and underneath the springs, holding them under tension.`

A scroll of paper or suitable fabric, marked 45 is rolled up on, and its ends fastened to, the shafts 4() and 4l and passing between the two glass plates 13-13.

New, whenever the operator draws one 0f the strings 2l, he thereby presses down the respective lever arm 17 which in its turn presses down the end 25 of the lever arm 24 and raises the connecting rods 27 and 28 and with them the lever arm 29. The crosshead 32 engages the nearest pin 38 and gives the wheel 35 one quarter turn. The projection 39 prevents the wheel 35 from turning farther with the impetus by intercepting the pin coming in contact with it. The wheels 36 and 37 are turned equally by the wheel 35 and the transmission is so calculated that each one quarter turn of the wheel 35 corresponds with the distance of one stations name from the other on the scroll. On account of the action of the springs 43 on the shafts and 4l the diameter of the scrolls will always be the same. After' releasing the string 21, the lever arm 29 drops down by its own weight, the crosshead 32 being tilted on its pivot by the next pin and slipping over it while the spring 24 brings it back into its original position after the pinl is passed. When all the stations shown on the scroll are passed and the train goes back, the string on the opposite end of the casing will have to be pulled each time a station is passed and will act in the same way as above described, in a contrary direction. The

scrolls or bands used have highly polished' smooth, glossy surfaces, enabling the several coils or convolutions to readily and safely slide'one upon the other thereby permitting` the several springs on each shaft to operate in the manner described.

It is also noticeable that a portion of the frame which extends inward is rigid and materially assists in preventing an excess spread of the .springs by pressing them inwardly as they pass, allowing the band to assume the shape indicated.

The designations of the stations are painted on the scroll at equal distances from and wound over said springs whereby they are caused to expand or retract in degree according to the amount of band material wound thereon.

AUGUST HOECKER. lVitnesses:

' ALEXANDER DENEs,

ALADAR HAMBURGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

